Rest Well

Have you ever heard that following Jesus is a marathon, not a sprint?

I used to believe that it was true. . . until I recently read the gospels. Perhaps our “go-go-go” to follow Jesus vibe is more culturally satisfying than it is Biblically faithful.

Here are three observations that may help us return to Jesus’ way of rest and work. One is biblical. Another is physical. The other is practical.

First, throughout the gospels, we see that Jesus rests.

• On good days and not so good days, Jesus always cuts out of his ordinary daily work to go up to the mountaintops alone to pray.
• It seems as if Jesus comes back with clarity after he rests with his Heavenly Father.
• Jesus freely celebrates the Sabbath, according to local custom while also following His Father’s leading.
• Jesus seems to place everything in God’s hands. In fact, Jesus himself says that he doesn’t do anything he doesn’t already see His Father doing (John 5:19).
• ​Interestingly, every recorded teaching, healing, and resurrection happens immediately after Jesus rests. There’s something to that.

Second, rest is necessary for a whole, healthy life.

• When weight training, your body needs rest. Oftentimes athletes will alternate weight days. In fact, lifting weights everyday will do more damage than good. The point is, naturally, our body needs to rest.  
• When cardio training, fitness instructors will stress interval training. This is when you go for 30-60 seconds as hard as you can and then rest for 30-60 seconds. Repeat for 10 reps. This rhythm of working and resting is proven to burn more calories, increase endurance, improve your overall health, and speed up your metabolism.
•  When you’re in the healing process, your body needs to rest. During this time, your body has the opportunity to direct energy and nutrients to the work of healing. The same is true when you prune a fruit tree. When you cut off a branch, it needs time to rest or heal before it can bear fruit again. In fact, without healing and rest, the tree (and the body) cannot produce fruit. There is something to resting being necessary for a whole, healthy life.

Finally, rest is not checking out, but staying engaged in order to work.

Rest doesn’t mean we stay home and nothing happens. It’s not lethargy, recuperation, or a time when we focus on ourselves. No. Rest is active work - but in a different way. It’s active work of doing no work on our own, but letting God do the work for us.

• Come to worship, this Sunday and let God renew you with His Word.
• Sit next to somebody new and be reminded of the family God has placed around you to love you just the way you are.
• Listen to Jesus’ words and let them feed your hungry soul.
• Receive Jesus’ gift of forgiveness which brings us back into His community.
• Eat Jesus’ food which gives you strength.
• Drink Jesus’ drink which keeps you hydrated.
• Be sent with Jesus’ promises which inspires you to respond with faithful service and work.
• Strike up a conversation with somebody along the way like Jesus did.
• And remember that even Jesus rests from his ordinary daily work… and when we rest on purpose (like Jesus), God is glorified and everybody around us is blessed.

This is the active “work” of resting in Jesus between sprints of worship, serving, loving, working, caring, and living. When we actively engage in rest, we choose to place God in His rightful place and remind ourselves of ours.

When we actively engage in rest, we choose to place God in His rightful place and remind us of ours."

Throughout the month of August, our Sunday Morning Kids Connect has chosen to rest in order to relaunch and bear fruit again starting September 11th. Our leaders are better for it. Our kids grow through it. Our church is strengthened by it. And our neighbors, community, and world are blessed by it.

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